Climate: EPA to FERC: 'We Really Need to Talk'

U.S. EPA is seeking a headquarters-level discussion with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to promote deeper, more comprehensive climate reviews of proposed natural gas pipelines.

"We as an agency think they need to take a more comprehensive approach to analyzing greenhouse gas emissions for natural gas projects," said Ken Westlake, who heads the National Environmental Policy Act section for EPA's Region 5 Office in Chicago.

"There have been a number of new pipelines or extended pipelines proposed to cross the country this year, and this particular letter represents us saying to FERC, 'We really need to talk comprehensively about FERC's approach to greenhouse gas analysis in their NEPA documents.'"

So far, it's radio silence.

"We have not received any reply from FERC," Westlake said in an interview.

The meeting request was spurred by EPA last week accusing FERC of ignoring its request for a deeper look at downstream greenhouse gas emissions from the $1.4 billion Leach Xpress natural gas pipeline, which TransCanada hopes to build in the heart of the Marcellus and Utica shale plays.

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